To everyone A HAPPY ST PATTY'S DAY

[a/n]Another FrostyWolf idea 2]Hagrid and McGonagall getting called out for sending first years to hunt something that kills unicorns. Neither of the two get taken to task very often by writers, not when Snape and Dumbledore are such bigger targets.

Harry Does Different CCCDXXIXaa

I'm Getting Out of Here

"This is servants' stuff!" complained Draco Malfoy as the pair of boys tromped through the forest. The lantern was sagging so he yanked it up, grunting "Wait'll my father hears of this."

Harry elbowed past the Slytherin and sneered back "Coward." But the sight that confronted him was the stuff of nightmares. All he saw was part of a horse's body, that gave a few feeble kicks. The monster feeding off it turned and hissed malevolently. Harry cursed and ran, or was it ran and cursed "Ooooh shiiiit! I'm Getting Out of Here!"

"What now Potter?" demanded Draco as he rounded a large tree. The only answer he got, unfortunately, was a violent collision.

Running on adrenaline, Harry shouted "RUN!" as he stumbled over his fellow First Year. It didn't slow him, even momentarily. Only to be stopped in his headlong rush by the brick wall known as Rubeus Hagrid.

And even more unfortunately for Draco Malfoy, the Groundskeeper was taking aim with his crossbow. He likely would have hit the beast too, but the impact spoiled his aim at the young Slytherin was still half-stunned from Harry running him over. The arrow imbedded itself so deeply in Draco's shoulder that, when he looked for the cause of pain, he saw the tip protruding. He screamed and collapsed.

"Oh for eaven's sake!" Hagrid dropped his weapon and ran to aid the stricken boy "Oh thank Merlin! E's still breathin!"

Hermione took over "He needs help now!"

"I'll run him to the castle. You three get back as quick as you can." Ordered Hagrid as he picked Draco up, into a fireman's carry, and lumbered away. Far faster than the three Gryffindors were capable.

Ron was the first to talk "Didn know anyone so big could move that fast. Malfoy might be scum, but even he doesn't deserve that."

"Ron that is not nice." Hermione scolded the redhead "Come on. It's a long walk."

Abcij

Minerva McGonagall confronted her lions in a foul mood "You three cannot even serve a simple detention! Exactly what happened out there?"

"How is Draco?" asked Hermione by way of non-answer. Harry's expression was full of sincere concern. And even Ron's anti-Slytherin positions didn't stand up to all the blood he'd seen.

The other students in the corridor cringed in fear. All of her indignation and authority bore down on the First Years. Her expression would have done Professor Snape proud "Mister Malfoy may well be on his deathbed. Dear Merlin! You had best hope Madam Pomfrey is up to the challenge. Now! Answer my question!"

"I'm so sorry!" Hermione fled in tears

Harry had a different reaction. He was bruised from his collision with Draco, tired from the long night and the walk. And now this? He exploded "What?! You're blaming this shit on us?! Something out there killing unicorns …WAIT I KNOW… Let's send a bunch of Firsties and an overgrown idiot to find it! Come on Ron, let's make sure Hermione doesn't run into another troll!"

"Bloody hell!" Ron followed his friend. Less out of concern about the possibility of a troll, than a desire for self-preservation. Witnesses followed the Gryffindors with their eyes, frozen by abject terror.

How dare he? The Deputy Headmistress fumed, barely able to keep the fury off her face behind a professional mask. She ignored the students who parted the way as she marched off in pursuit. However she did not even manage to turn the corner when she was stopped. Cold.

"YOU STOP RIGHT THERE WOMAN!" a voice the students did not see boomed. She was confronted by a distressed mother and an equally distressed, as well as, angry father "We are summoned here by a floo our son is injured! Well! What have you to say for yourself? What was he even doing out after curfew? I WANT ANSWERS!"

The regal woman beside him said coolly "Heads can roll later, Lucius. You will take us to Draco."

"Mr., Mrs. Malfoy, right this way." The Deputy Headmistress bit down her anger and a sudden burst of irritation at the parents who knew very well where to go.

Abcij

Couple days passed before Draco Malfoy reappeared and his right shoulder was heavily taped. Everyone thought it odd that both the groundskeeper and the Deputy Headmistress had gone missing. Various classes reported Transfiguration being taught by the Headmaster, or another teacher. That evening only a handful of professors were at supper. Professor Snape swept into the Hall, spoke briefly with his student then entered Gryffindor territory and ordered gruffly "Potter, Weasley, Granger follow us."

"This meeting of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizard Board of Governors is now in session. Chairman Paulus Selwyn presiding." In a school it was almost unheard of for a room to be full of adults, and but a handful of children. The only one who relaxed was Draco. The Gryffindors tensed on noticing one man seated at the table was obviously a Malfoy. "This inquest into the incident of two nights ago. Now, children, I want you to know NONE of you are under any form of investigation or sanction. We are here to discuss the behavior of Hogwarts staff. Governor? If you please?"

The man with long blond hair stood and nodded "Thank you, Chairman. I propose we begin with my son. Not that the others weren't traumatized by the incident, but Draco nearly died. Draco, please tell us about the night in question from your perspective."

"Thank you, Father." The blond boy spoke formally, though he winced in pain "I freely admit I was out of bounds, however I saw an opportunity to cause an opposing House to lose more points than my own. It seemed a good risk. I observed Groundskeeper Hagrid, with my classmates here, talking about a baby dragon. And I saw the creature myself. Seen by Harry, I ran to get Professor Snape, however I encountered Professor McGonagall. So I led her, explaining what I'd seen."

The Chairman looked over at a side table and asked "Is this account accurate so far, Professor?"

"Yes, Governor." She acknowledged without looking at anyone in the classroom.

Selwyn turned back "Continue, young Malfoy."

"Professor McGonagall lectured all four of us, sternly on the subject of rules, sir. She deducted fifty House Points from each of us. I was shocked at the severity, after all there are much worse things than being out after curfew. But, after all, I'd been right. While I'd lost 50 from Slytherin. Gryffindor lost triple. She also assigned all of us detention."

Another of the governors, a witch who seemed twice as old as the Headmaster, interjected "Was there anything unusual about that?"

"Well, ma'am, I've had a couple detentions." Draco looked embarrassed "And they've been things like cleaning boards, or scrubbing a loo … ahh, sorry father."

Mr. Malfoy looked disappointed "We will discuss that at a future time, boy. Continue."

"Yessir!" snapped Draco obediently "Instead of that, Professor McGonagall turned all of us over to Mr. Filch, who escorted us from the castle to a home on the grounds. That was where we encountered Mr. Hagrid who told us we were going to look for something that kills unicorns."

Another governor, also a witch, wanted to know "Did none of you think to question such a punishment?"

"Oh, no madam, Father told me that professors at Hogwarts were the best in the world. I couldn't imagine them doing anything to put us in danger." The Slytherin's words were normal enough, but he was almost groveling "I pointed out to Mr. Hagrid there are werewolves in the dark forest and it was the night of a full Moon. On the edge of the Dark Forest, Mr. Hagrid took Ron and Hermione off in one direction, leaving me, Harry and his dog to go another."

Lucius nodded to a wizard who looked easily twice Dumbledore's age, who asked "Am I to understand a school employee took virtually uneducated students into a dangerous area? And more, sent half his charges off by themselves?"

For the first time Hagrid spoke "It ain the way it 'appened!"

"Pause for a moment, young Malfoy." Chairman Selwyn said "You others …ehh… Weasley, Potter, Granger; do you concur with your classmate's testimony so far?"

The Gryffindors nodded, and when asked to give verbal answers agreed fully.

"I can only speak to my own experiences, Governors" Draco went on when told to "After maybe half an hour, Harry got a bit ahead of me, but then I heard him scream, so I rushed to help. We accidentally crashed. When I got up I saw what I thought might've been a werewolf, but when it looked at me, it didn't. That's the last thing I remember."

Ron's and Hermione's testimony wasn't especially helpful, except in confirming Draco's prior to the group splitting. Nothing untoward occurred while they were with Hagrid.

"I wouldn't know what a werewolf looks like." Harry took over the narrative "But whatever it was, was pretty ugly. I couldn't help running."

Lucius gave a smile and waved it off "Think nothing of it, young Potter. It is a perfectly logical reaction to the unfamiliar, and you already were in a frightening situation."

"Thank you, sir." Harry returned the smile "Anyway, I didn't know it at the time, but Hagrid was about to fire an arrow at the thing. Maybe save the poor unicorn. But I crashed into him."

Lucius' expression turned vicious as he looked to the side "And that is when that oaf nearly murdered my son!"

"Now now Governor Malfoy. No reason to assign blame. Rubeus Hagrid has always been an excellent employee. He truly cares for all of the school, our students, and the surrounding forest." Headmaster Dumbledore scolded him gently.

Hagrid protested "I only did what 'Fessor McGonagall asked!"

"Do all four of you agree with that assessment?" asked the Chairman of the students, when they all indicated their agreement he glanced at Lucius and decided "I think we have enough information. All of you are excused while the Board discusses the matter….I am sorry, Headmaster, that includes you."

Abcij

The school was brought together a few hours later. Everyone was curious. The wizard with the Headmaster took the podium "For those who do not know, I am Paulus Selwyn. Besides your Headmaster, the group with me are members of the Board of Governors. I am sure you are all aware of the incident …now almost three nights ago… wherein one of your fellows was gravely wounded. On behalf of the whole Board, we are greatly pleased to see Draco Malfoy well on the mend."

There was considerable applause which seemed to ignore House rivalry. Harry participated, though Ron only managed to touch his hands together twice.

"That there is no long-term aftereffects is beside the point." Selwyn continued after allowed the applause to fade "The job of Hogwarts staff is to teach you and ensure your safety. The incident two nights ago proved that the Board has been less than rigorous in ensuring the staff does its job. One or more of us will be here at all times, at least through Yule break to investigate. But immediate action is necessary. Was Draco Malfoy's injury an accident? Yes. But the system failed. Simply following orders is no excuse. Rubeus Hagrid has been terminated and has one week to depart. In the meantime, he is banned from the castle proper."

There was quite a bit of noise. Both cheers and objections. Also questions.

"You all know where his hut is. That area is now off limits." The lead Governor finally went on after everyone quieted down "Interaction with Mr. Hagrid are not forbidden, but discouraged. If anyone has a concern, see your Head of House. Which brings us to the second topic. While we might excuse the person following orders, a Deputy Headmistress should know better. Professor McGonagall has decades of knowing the Dark Forest is out of bounds. It is announced EVERY year. Temporarily, all Deputy Duties will be fulfilled by the other Heads of House, and of course, the Headmaster. Professor McGonagall will be retiring at the end of term. Until some obvious holes can be filled, Gryffindors, Professor Burbage of Muggle Studies will take over as your Head."

The former number two had a blank expression that still didn't change when there was cheering, even from her own House …limited though that was. That among them was the son of two of her favorites cut to the quick.

"Well great job there Potter. Father's been hoping to do that since HE was a student." Draco paused in celebrating with Slytherin to gloat.

Harry stopped his not exactly enthusiastic clapping and regarded him coolly "Malfoy, don't assume this is more than it is. We agreed, on this ONE issue. Let's see how it goes."